THE LADY'S HAWK 39 



advantage of the impetus gained by the * drop,' and caught up the crow with 

 extraordinary ease. 



It is remarkable with what ferocity birds will drive away from the vicinity 

 of their nest any creature which might possibly have evil designs on their 

 eggs or young. 



Thus the Rook harries the Falcon ; the Thrush the Owl ; and the Merlin 

 the Crow. 



In a short time the pair of them were almost out of sight ; the one croak- 

 ing an angry or terrified remonstrance, the other pressing the attack with 

 undiminished energy. 



Of a sudden the Merlin gave up the chase, which had really proved quite 

 exciting, and turning, planed back in our direction. 



Down among the heather we dropped, and had some difficulty in catching 

 sight of the hawk again, her bluish-grey plumage harmonized so well with the 

 moorland background. However, she was still making straight towards us 

 in a very definite kind of way, and for the first time I dared to believe that 

 she must have a nest somewhere close at hand. 



Nearer she came, flying low and straight, and for a while the thought 

 that she might pass overhead and see us crouching there occurred to us ; but 

 to our amazement she changed her direction, and swung upwards into the 

 top of one of the beech trees. 



For a time we hesitated about venturing into the open, but since nothing 

 further occurred, we decided to go forth and investigate. Up then we got, 

 and with eyes fixed on the spot where we had seen the Merlin settle, we advanced 

 towards the beeches. 



On our arrival under the trees, we almost immediately caught sight of 

 a crow's nest, and half expected to see the Merlin go off. Personally I experi- 

 enced a thrill of disappointment when, on climbing up to it, I found that it 

 contained a single crow's egg. 



And still there was no sign of the Merlin. We began to wonder if she 

 had gone off behind the trees as we approached, and was perhaps at the moment 

 sitting on her nest amongst the heather. However, the accidental snapping 

 of a dead branch had the effect of proving that our fears were unfounded : for 

 it was greeted by the screaming of a hawk in one of the trees at the far side 

 of the clump. Soon we had spied a second crow's nest, built almost at the 

 extreme top of one of the beeches ; and peering at us over its edge, the head 

 of the little Falcon ! 



But in any case, none of the trees were really tall, the merlin's nest 

 being not more than thirty-five feet from the ground. And since the tree 

 was quite a comfortable one to negotiate, no time was lost in climbing up to 

 inspect the situation, the Merlin going off when the actual ascent was begun. 



The nest, a typical crow's, was strongly constructed and lined with 



